By Ruza Zivkusic
SUSAN Jennison says visiting the Keilor Library is a bit like winning a “jackpot” you never know whether it’s open or closed.
Ms Jennison is president of the Keilor Residents and Ratepayers Association and said the petite library in Kennedy Street, Keilor, is open only 24 hours a week.
It has the least operating hours in Brimbank compared with libraries like the one in Sunshine, which has the most operating hours of 57.
Keilor residents, who have tirelessly lobbied Brimbank City Council to extend the operating hours, say they are sick of seeing the library closed on Fridays and Sundays.
And they want to know how it is that Sydenham’s first public library, due to be opened in early December, will be able to offer clients 52 hours per week, spread over seven days.
Candy Broad, the Minister for Local Government, described the Sydenham Library as being “state of the art”.
Ms Jennison, who with residents put in a submission for the last council budget to have the library’s hours extended, said it was time that Keilor residents’ needs were met.
“It’s incredibly frustrating because we follow all the guidelines; we put forward our case and they do nothing.
“We have waited since 1970, when it was established, and it’s had no improvements in that time,” Ms Jennison said.
A Brimbank City Council’s spokesperson told Star last week that a strategic review of the entire library service in Brimbank would take place in May next year.
“This will take into account the affect of the opening of the Sydenham Library on other branches,” the spokesperson said.
Brimbank City Councillor Kathryn Eriksson said she doubted that Keilor residents would be going to the Sydenham library.
“It’s going to be a great centre and I’m really happy about it but the people from Keilor and particularly children, will not go there because of the poor public transport,” Cr Eriksson said.
Debra Wilson, who lives in Kealba and has a 10-year-old daughter who attends Keilor Primary School, said it would not be convenient for her daughter to go to Sydenham to borrow books, as her school was only a couple of minutes away from the Keilor library.
“I’m sure there’ll be people going down to Sydenham to have a look but for me it is not as convenient as this library is,” Ms Wilson said.
